Atlantic Circle Cocktails & Conversations 2026 Panelists

August 21, 2026

Atlantic Circle’s signature event is back! Join United Way of Northeast Florida and break the ice with fellow young professionals during a night of networking, meaningful conversations and connection.

You’ll hear from local community leaders during a lively panel discussion and candid roundtable conversations focused on community, purpose and giving back.

Thursday, Sept. 10
6-8:30 p.m.

Community First Igloo
3605 Philips Hwy, Jacksonville, FL 32207

Tickets for members: FREE
Tickets for non-members: $25

RSVP today

We’re excited to introduce our full panel below.

Panelists

Carl Bailey – Community philanthropist and volunteer

Katie Bakewell – NLP Logix

Eric Dunn – Eric Dunn Enterprises LLC

Nicole Hamm – Blue Zones Project Jacksonville

Jan Hanak – Regency Centers

Anne Hoverson – GuideWell

Tony Jenkins – Florida Blue

Special Jennings – Jacksonville University

Susan Masucci – ruckus

Vic Micolucci – Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office

Ashley Pratt – Mayo Clinic

Carl Bailey

Carl Bailey is an actuary with more than 25 years of experience. Soft-retired and self-employed for the past four years, he previously held leadership positions at GuideWell/Florida Blue and AvMed. He also spent time at Willis Towers Watson and Allstate earlier in his career.

Carl is passionate about investing in people, especially children, and focuses on issues related to childhood health and wellness, education, financial literacy and leveling the playing field so that opportunity isn’t determined by a child’s starting point. He is also a big believer in mentoring and development from youth through midcareer, paying forward the time people invested in him.

Carl serves on the boards of Junior Achievement of North Florida and Thrive Scholars Jacksonville. He has been involved with United Way’s Stein Fellowship program as a mentor since 2019.

Carl and his wife, Amee, have called Jacksonville home for 21 years, and they enjoy spending time and traveling with their two children. Outside of family, work and community involvement, Carl is an endurance junkie, adventure racer and Wilderness First Responder (because the actuary in him insists on having a contingency plan). He has logged more than 700 hours of adventure racing since 2023, which is either impressive or simply proof that he has a hard time saying, “That sounds like a terrible idea.”

Katie Bakewell

Katie Bakewell has 15 years of experience designing and building data science solutions at NLP Logix, where she serves as vice president of AI strategy.

Her work includes developing epidemiological alerts, contributing to published research in “Advances in Wound Care” and creating models to improve financial outcomes in debt collection. Those models have scored more than $1 trillion in defaulted debt. She also worked with a customer to develop natural language models that match job seekers with job requisitions.

Before joining NLP Logix, Katie attended the University of North Florida, where she earned a master’s degree in mathematical sciences. Her research focused on DNA-based computers and commodity pricing through time-series forecasting.

Katie has lived in Northeast Florida for 25 years and enjoys supporting the region’s local sports teams.

Eric Dunn

Eric Dunn is a Jacksonville-based digital media host, emcee, content creator and model with more than 225,000 combined followers and a growing presence on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

As the emcee for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and a content partner for the City of Jacksonville’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, Eric has become one of the city’s most recognizable and trusted voices.

A Wilhelmina Big & Tall model and co-founder of H.E.A.D. On Youth Impact, a nonprofit dedicated to serving underprivileged children and communities across Jacksonville, Eric’s work reflects a genuine commitment to the city’s culture, community and future.

He is also the founder of Eric Dunn Enterprises LLC.

Nicole Hamm

Nicole Hamm is an accomplished executive with a diverse skill set spanning project management, community development, sales coordination, financial analysis and civic engagement. With a strong educational background and extensive experience across various industries, Nicole excels in leadership roles, driving organizational growth and fostering community well-being.

As executive director of Blue Zones Project Jacksonville, Nicole leads initiatives to enhance community well-being. By leading a team of professionals and collaborating with diverse stakeholders, she advances strategic goals and manages resources effectively to achieve meaningful results.

Nicole actively engages in civic and social matters through her involvement with organizations focused on development, connection and advocacy. She contributes to policy development, community empowerment and organizational advancement, reflecting her commitment to social responsibility and community betterment.

Nicole studied supply chain management and human development at Howard University and accounting at Daytona State College. She enjoys volunteering, shopping, cooking, attending events and exploring Jacksonville’s parks, rivers and beaches with friends and loved ones.

Nicole is excited to lead Blue Zones Project Jacksonville because it combines her professional and personal purpose: using her skills and gifts to improve Jacksonville’s well-being and economic vitality. She is passionate about Jacksonville’s future and looks forward to being part of it.

Jan Hanak

Jan Hanak leads Regency Centers’ marketing, communications and market research team, overseeing corporate, brand and property marketing nationwide. Since joining Regency Centers in 2010, he has helped shape the company’s brand and build its marketing team into a best-in-class in-house agency. He was promoted to senior vice president in 2024 and received the Joan and Martin E. Stein Sr. Award, Regency Centers’ highest employee honor, in 2021.

Before joining Regency Centers, Jan led design and interactive work for a Florida advertising agency and held creative roles with organizations including MCI and Citi. He brings a design-minded approach to marketing and communications, with a particular interest in emerging technology and demographic and behavioral trends.

Jan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design from the University of Florida. He serves on the boards of United Way of Northeast Florida and Downtown Vision Inc., is a Leadership Jacksonville graduate, and enjoys exploring Florida, hiking out West and spending time with his family.

Anne Hoverson

Anne Hoverson is the vice president of digital at GuideWell, serving as the enterprise business product owner for the organization’s intelligent channel solutions portfolio.

She is accountable for the vision, value and outcomes of every consumer- and provider-facing digital product GuideWell/Florida Blue brings to market — spanning self-service, assisted-channel tooling and the broader engagement ecosystem that connects them into a seamless omnichannel experience.

Over her 15-year career with GuideWell and Florida Blue, Anne has driven this shift toward a product-based operating model, championing Agile transformation and a hyperpersonalized approach that makes routine interactions effortless for everyone who brings their business to GuideWell.

Tony Jenkins

Tony Jenkins is market president for Northeast Florida at Florida Blue, where he provides strategic oversight to drive regional membership growth and retention, enhance brand visibility, and lead civic and community stakeholder engagement.

He joined Florida Blue in 2001 following a distinguished career with CSX, the largest rail network in the eastern United States. He also spent 20 years with Walt Disney World in various leadership roles, specializing in hospitality, public affairs and human resources.

Tony most recently served as Florida Blue’s market president for Central Florida, a role he held for 20 years. Under his leadership, Florida Blue was recognized as a Best Place to Work, an Outstanding Community Organization and a Corporate Philanthropy honoree. He now looks to make a similar impact across Northeast Florida’s 17 counties.

Tony is an advocate for several causes throughout Florida. He is the past chair of the Orlando Economic Partnership board and has served as a trustee of Stetson University. He is chair of the Winter Park Institute and serves on the boards of Florida Citrus Sports, United Way of Florida, Dr. Phillips Center and Grace Medical Home. He also serves on the UCF College of Medicine Dean’s Advisory Council.

Tony has been recognized by the Orlando Business Journal as one of Central Florida’s Top 10 Businessmen to Watch and as CEO of the Year. Most recently, he received the publication’s Diversity in Business Lifetime Achievement Award. He also is an i4 Business Magazine Business Leader of the Year recipient and a 2024 Orlando Magazine honoree named among the city’s 50 Most Powerful People. He holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia.

Special Jennings

Special Jennings was named head coach of Jacksonville University’s women’s basketball team in April 2023, bringing a championship pedigree and extensive experience in player development and recruiting to the Dolphins.

Before arriving at Jacksonville, Special led Montverde Academy to back-to-back GEICO High School National Championships, compiling a 68-6 record over three seasons. She also served as an associate head coach at the University of Illinois Chicago and held assistant coaching positions at Flagler College and Augusta University.

A Cleveland native and Xavier University alumna, Special was a standout point guard who helped the Musketeers win four Atlantic 10 Tournament championships and make four NCAA tournament appearances. As Jacksonville’s head coach, she led the Dolphins to the 2026 ASUN Championship and the NCAA Tournament, marking one of the most successful seasons in program history.

Susan Masucci

Susan Masucci serves as president and CEO of ruckus, an integrated design and communications firm she founded in 2006. For 20 years, the ruckus team has provided expert counsel and award-winning work for many local, regional and national brands serving quality-of-life sectors such as health care, education, arts and culture, and the built environment.

Susan is a Jacksonville native, a Jacksonville University graduate and trustee, and a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville’s Class of 2010. She is also a Jacksonville Business Journal “Ultimate CEO” and “40 Under 40” honoree. Her volunteer service and commitment to being a force for good benefit many local organizations. These include Rotary Club of Jacksonville, Guardian Catholic School, Bishop Kenny High School, 904WARD, Ritz Chamber Players and Jacksonville Dance Theatre.

Vic Micolucci

Vic Micolucci was born and raised in Jacksonville, and he’s spent his career serving the community he calls home. He currently serves as the strategic communications executive for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), where he leads the Strategic Communications section and acts as the sheriff’s chief adviser on media relations and public information. In July 2025, he led a historic restructuring of the agency’s Public Relations and Information unit, creating JSO’s first civilian-led chain of command and standing up specialized teams built around the agency’s communication needs. He now oversees communications for roughly 3,800 sworn officers and civilian employees, manages social platforms that reach more than a million followers and leads the agency’s Strategic Communications team.

Before moving into public service, Vic spent 14 years as an anchor and investigative reporter at his hometown station, WJXT-TV4, earning numerous Emmy, Edward R. Murrow and Associated Press broadcasting awards. He’s also run his own DJ, MC and auctioneer business, Micolucci Entertainment, for more than two decades — performing more than 300 weddings and hundreds of other events across the country and helping raise millions of dollars along the way.

Vic holds a bachelor’s degree in telecommunication news from the University of Florida, a master’s degree in mass communication leadership from the University of North Florida and is a Hightower Emerging Leaders Fellow. He currently sits on the boards of the Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center, the Tristyn Bailey Foundation and Reaching the Unreached.

Ashley Pratt

Ashley Pratt has proudly called Jacksonville home since 2005 and has spent more than 17 years with Mayo Clinic, where she currently serves as director of community relations. In this role, she leads community engagement, employee volunteerism and strategic partnerships, advancing Mayo Clinic’s mission and addressing community health needs beyond hospital walls. With more than a decade of leadership experience across health care operations and community relations, Ashley is passionate about servant leadership, mentoring emerging leaders and creating meaningful and sustainable community impact.

A proud alumna of United Way’s Atlantic Circle, Ashley was selected as a Stein Fellow (2015-16) and later served as co-chair of Atlantic Circle (2017-18), experiences that strengthened her commitment to collaborative leadership and community impact. Ashley continues to stay active with United Way through personal volunteerism, Mayo Clinic’s annual campaign, and attending Women United and Atlantic Circle events.

Ashley has been recognized for her leadership and service as a Jacksonville Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree, a Bishop Moore Catholic High School Top 40 Under 40 honoree and a recipient of the University of North Florida Young Alumni Achievement Award. Outside of work and community service, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, Jason, and their three children, Vedder, Morgan and Sully. Whether cheering from the sidelines at her children’s activities, exploring Jacksonville’s parks or volunteering together as a family, she believes that investing in people and strengthening communities starts at home.